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"The Spotlight Awards are a moment to showcase the innovative work being done in cities and counties to address social determinants of health."

HARTFORD, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Aetna Foundation today announced 10 community health programs
nationwide that are receiving their newly-launched “Spotlight Award.”
The award is part of the Healthiest
Cities & Counties Challenge (the Challenge), an initiative
launched in 2016 that supports 50 small-to-midsize cities and counties
that are implementing innovative solutions to pressing public health
issues in their communities. Along with the American Public Health
Association (APHA) and the National Association of Counties (NACo), the
Aetna Foundation selected these 50 programs because of their ability to
tackle social determinants of health (SDoH) that frequently lead to
chronic health issues.

The 10 Spotlight awardees will receive a $25,000 prize to further
support their Challenge programs, which will help build sustainable
models that can be used in other communities. In addition, five more
organizations will receive a $10,000 prize as Honorable Mention awardees
to help accelerate and advance their work. Some of the notable
achievements from awardees include:

The iGrow Food Network distributed more than 100 pounds of produce
grown in local community gardens during the summer of 2017, reaching
more than one-third of the target population in food deserts in
Tallahassee, Florida.

Walk Works ChesCo! created new walking routes in Chester County,
Pennsylvania to encourage residents to walk more and adopt a healthier
lifestyle. The community successfully reached their goal of walking
one billion steps in 2017 in just six months.

“Where a person lives has a profound impact on how they live –
particularly when it comes to their health,” said Mark T. Bertolini, the
chairman of the Aetna Foundation and chairman and CEO of Aetna. “The
Spotlight Award recipients are outstanding examples of how important
progress can be made when communities work together to look at the
biggest issues facing their neighborhoods and develop healthy,
home-grown solutions.”

Through the Challenge, $1.5 million in prizes will be awarded to cities
and counties that are able to show measurable improvements in health
outcomes over the course of several years through cross-sector
partnerships. The Challenge is designed to enable participants to share
successful health improvement strategies with other communities.

“Since the Challenge launched, we have seen numerous improvements and
advancements in the health of the 50 participating communities,” said
APHA executive director Georges C. Benjamin, MD. “The Spotlight Awards
are a moment to showcase the innovative work being done in cities and
counties to address social determinants of health.”

The goal of the Spotlight Award is to highlight early success stories
from participants that have demonstrated significant progress since the
launch of the Challenge. The selected programs have identified creative
partnerships and enacted programs that address the unique health issues
facing their communities in meaningful ways.

“Communities invest heavily in local residents’ health and well-being,
often serving as a safety net for low-income and vulnerable residents,”
said NACo president Roy Charles Brooks. “We know just as each community
is unique, so too are the health challenges they face. These award
winners are examples of what can be achieved when counties work with
community partners to solve serious, complex public health issues.”

In 2016, the Challenge chose 50 cities and counties as
HealthyCommunity50 members based on their plans to improve local health
outcomes. The HealthyCommunity50 continue to compete for overall
Challenge prize awards ranging from $25,000 - $500,000. Participants
will be judged on their own progress and will not be competing against
each other.

Spotlight Award Winners

Lead Entity

Program

Program Goal

State Served

Greater Bridgeport Opportunities Industrialization Center Inc.

Bridgeport Coalition United to Reach Equity

Increase health equity

Connecticut

Florida Department of Health

iGrow Food Network

Decrease food inequality

Florida

City of Miami

Live Healthy Little Havana

Increase health care access

Florida

Louisville/Jefferson County Metro Government

West Louisville Outdoor Recreation Initiative

Increase mental wellness and healthy behaviors

Kentucky

Coopers Ferry Partnership

The SMART Initiative

Increase water quality

New Jersey

Chatham County Public Health Department

Chatham Health Alliance

Decrease obesity

North Carolina

Mecklenburg County Health Department

Village HeartBEAT

Decrease heart disease

North Carolina

Waco-McLennan County Public Health District

The Heart of Texas Urban Gardening Coalition

Increase access to, and consumption of, fresh foods

Texas

Danville Pittsylvania County United Fund

Health Collaborative

Increase healthy living

Virginia

Thurston County Public Health & Social Services

Active Design for a Healthier Thurston County

Increase walkability

Washington

Honorable Mention:

Name of Organization

Program

Program Goal

State Served

City of St. Petersburg

Food is Medicine

Increase access, availability and procurement of healthy foods

Florida

Baltimore City Health Department

Be Well, B’More

Increase physical activity

Maryland

City of Jersey City

Blue Print for Violence Reduction

Increase healthy behaviors to decrease violence

New Jersey

Duke University: Durham and Cabarrus Counties

The North Carolina Healthiest Counties Cross-Sector Team

Increase health equity

North Carolina

Chester County

Walk Works ChesCo!

Increase walking

Pennsylvania

For more information on the winners, visit www.healthiestcities.org
and join the conversation at #HealthiestCitiesChallenge.

The Aetna Foundationis the independent charitable and
philanthropic arm of Aetna (NYSE: AET). Since 1980, Aetna and the Aetna
Foundation have contributed more than $465 million in grants and
sponsorships. As a national health foundation, we promote wellness,
health, and access to high-quality health care for everyone. This work
is enhanced by the time and commitment of Aetna employees, who have
volunteered 3.8 million hours since 2003. For more information, visit www.aetnafoundation.org.

The American Public Health Association champions the health of all
people and all communities. We strengthen the profession of public
health, share the latest research and information, promote best
practices and advocate for public health issues and policies grounded in
research. We are the only organization that combines a 140-plus year
perspective, a broad-based member community and the ability to influence
federal policy to improve the public’s health. Visit us at www.apha.org.

The National Association of Counties (NACo) unites America’s 3,069
county governments. Founded in 1935, NACo brings county officials
together to advocate with a collective voice on national policy,
exchange ideas and build new leadership skills, pursue transformational
county solutions, enrich the public’s understanding of county government
and exercise exemplary leadership in public service.For more
information, visit www.naco.org.